So Close
by lentarthurk14
Summary: Sherlock gets Molly to dance with him at John's wedding, but will he tell her how he feels or will it all end in a 'So close, but so far away' kind of a moment? Read and find out. One-Shot Sherlolly fic.


**Here's some Sherlolly cuteness for you. Tom doesn't exist here because I never liked him anyways. I don't own Sherlock, unfortunately, and I hope you enjoy it. R+R if you've got a minute =)**

**It's just a one shot, but if you like it maybe I'll write more Sherlolly stuff. We'll see. **

**ENJOY!**

* * *

The wedding was over and John and Mary were now officially newlyweds.

But this damn reception was getting to be just a bit boring for the world's only consulting detective. He had deduced everything he cared to from the people attending and while he could go and ruin a few of their nights he had promised John he'd keep his observations to himself. He was standing alone on the outskirts of the dance floor, leaning against one of the tables. He continued to observe and keep mental notes.

John and Mary were swaying slowly to their first song as husband and wife, their foreheads touching, with smiles on their faces that could only be described with the word _loving_.

Sherlock shifted uncomfortably for a moment as he thought that over. That was not a word he would have ever used in the past. But since his fall and return he seemed to have become a bit…sentimental. Not that he'd let anyone know that. He wasn't stupid. He'd never hear the end of it if Lestrade or Mycroft found him out. He had a suspicion that John already knew that he was a lot more…caring as of late. But he was still Sherlock Holmes and as a result his emotions got put on the back burner and were often forgotten or pushed so deep into his mind palace he wouldn't dare try to retrieve them.

As he watched his best friend part with his wife after their first dance he clapped halfheartedly with the rest of the people around him. He took a look around a bit once more to see if there was anything worth noting.

A cousin of Mary's was sitting there; he could tell from the coat that he wasn't exactly a billionaire. He was a simple man, a postal worker.

_'Boring.'_

All these people were boring. Three affairs were going on, two of them with each other. One woman was an alcoholic and she hadn't left the bar since they'd arrived. Two cops were in the audience as well as three criminals. Two drug dealers and a petty thief.

Sherlock sighed and looked away. Not worth his time.

_'Boring.'_

He looked up right as John and Mary made their way to him.

"Having fun?" Sherlock asked with a grin he meant to be sincere.

John gave him a raised eyebrow that told him he didn't do a very good job of that.

"Yeah, loads. Dancing with my wife has to be on the top of the list of fun things I love to do," John grinned at Mary who smiled with a shake of her head.

"What about you, then?" Mary looked at Sherlock with a mischievous look in her eyes

"What about me?" Sherlock asked, not liking how she was looking at him.

"Aren't you going to find some lucky girl to dance with?" she asked with a grin.

"Why would I do that? You know I didn't come with a date. Besides, who here could last more than thirty seconds in a dance with me? At least without smacking me..." Sherlock bitterly added at the end. He'd learned that lesson the hard way.

Mary raised an eyebrow and looked over Sherlock's shoulder at a pathologist who was sitting in the corner looking very uncomfortable with the attention she was getting from one of John's friends.

Sherlock's eyes followed Mary and his words caught in his throat

_'Molly'_

He swallowed heavily. He didn't know what was wrong with him lately, but he couldn't even seem to talk to her without saying something stupid—he never had been any good with talking to girls. He quickly felt his pulse speed up and he frowned. He was always so close to figuring out what was going on with him, but someone always interrupted him.

"So are you going to stare at her all night or are you going to ask her to dance?" Mary asked with a slightly wicked smirk. Sherlock looked at John who nodded to him with a smile.

"Go on mate, go ask her to dance. She's the only one who could put up with you for an entire dance. Hell she might be the only girl able to put up with you at all," John chuckled and then added.

"Besides you owe me. Go ask her to dance Sherlock."

Sherlock groaned slightly, but stopped when he looked over to Molly and saw that John's friend was getting extremely close to her. Something just snapped in him. He didn't want anyone that close to her. She was **_his_ **pathologist. At this realization he promptly nodded to John and Mary and walked over to where Molly was.

* * *

Molly was extremely uncomfortable with this man in front of her. His name was Denis and he was nice enough, but he was tipsy and getting a little too close to her. She had tried to make an escape multiple times, but he had blocked her into a corner.

_'That's what you get for hiding in the back of the room, Molly!'_ she scolded herself in her head.

She tried to listen to him, but her thoughts were wandering. She had been watching Sherlock earlier. He seemed so aloof—even for him—tonight. She knew he wasn't completely his old self, and most definitely would not be ever again after what happened, but she was wondering why he avoided her nowadays. She had helped him get out. He trusted her and told her she mattered. She was still in love with the consulting detective, but couldn't find a way to tell him that. He had stayed with her a few weeks when he was first "dead" and again after his return. She had fallen ever harder for the man, if that was even possible, and was thoroughly frustrated as to what she was going to do about it.

"Hey? You still with me?" She was called back to reality by the man in front of her

"O-Oh yes, sorry! I was just a little distracted,"

"I can find something else to distract you," he leaned towards her with a lustful smile and she backed away from him in an attempt to get away.

"I'd rather um…actually…I have to…" she was stuttering over her words again and she hated that. But she was scared he would actually try something with her so what was she supposed to do?

Molly made an attempt to get away, but the man simply pulled her into him and she yelped. She pulled against his hold to no avail. He was stronger than her. She was getting ready to scream for help when suddenly she was no longer in his unwanted embrace, but she pulled into someone else's arms. Her arms went to his chest to steady herself on him. Her face was right against his chest. She heard him before she saw his face and knew immediately who it was. She blushed a deep shade of red and closed her eyes.

"I think you should walk away, now. I do believe that she doesn't want to associate with you at the moment." Sherlock's baritone voice shook her whole frame. She was so small compared to him. She shivered lightly realizing how close they were physically to each other.

"Oi, watch it, we were having a nice little discussion! Weren't we Masy?"

"I-It's Molly…" she muttered and stayed close to her protector. Sherlock's hold tightened against her and she saw a flash of something in his eyes. Was that anger?

"Molly wouldn't you much rather come dance with me than stay here with him?" Sherlock pulled her back and she looked up into his eyes

"Yes," she whispered, not wanting to offend Denis, but at the same time she really didn't want to be around him anymore.

"There you have it then." Sherlock promptly escorted her to the dance floor right as the next slow song was starting to play.

She felt her face heat up as he took her hand in one of his and placed his other hand on her waist. She put a hand on his shoulder and trusted him to lead her. She was good at following and he was a good leader. They stepped in time to the music and she tried very hard to stop her heart from pounding.

"Thank you," she said once she could breathe again, "He was making me quite uncomfortable."

Sherlock nodded with that smile that melted her heart.

"Yes, I could see that," he led her in a waltz and she gladly followed his lead. This was so close to being perfect.

* * *

Sherlock had her in his arms and everything seemed calm. He didn't feel anything but good when he was with Molly. Her eyes were so open, holding all the feelings inside that he was dying to unleash. He knew that she had loved him in the past, but what if she was moving on and he was halting that progression. They had been so close to kissing a few months back when he stayed at her flat before making his big announcement. So close to telling each other how they felt but they were only to be interrupted time and time again by Sherlock's work. She hadn't been the same around him after that. It was like she was afraid of him.

'Not me.' He corrected himself, 'what I could do to her…she's afraid I'll hurt her.' he thought to himself.

Molly followed him in the dance and he didn't care that everyone was watching them. He didn't care that John was laughing happily over the fact that Sherlock was so close to knowing what he really wanted most. He didn't care that Mary was smirking and saying 'I told you so' to anyone who would listen.

Right now all he cared about was Molly. She was in his arms, and it felt so right. There was no such thing as fairy tales and happily ever after, but this was so damn close he never wanted it to end.

"Why me?" She suddenly asked him.

"Why, what?" he threw back at her.

"Why didn't you ask someone else to dance?" she was looking right in his eyes and he had trouble thinking of a coherent response. Her lips looked so soft and kissable. He cleared his throat and responded quietly

"Because you're the only one who can deal with me for this long without hitting me or getting your feelings hurt."

She laughed lightly and he swore it was his new favorite sound in the world. Her smile was lovely. His heart was thumping out of his chest.

_'Dammit what's wrong with me,'_ he frowned at himself.

"Well I could never get tired of you Sherlock. Even when you're being a git," she smiled at him softly.

He knew in that moment that he cared for her. More than he cared about anyone else, at least in the romantic way. He always got so close to realizing this. For months he'd been dancing around the idea. His heart was racing faster than he'd like and he was sure if he was to look in a mirror his pupils were dilated more than they should be. She was so close to him, their bodies almost touching.

There was something inside him that longed for her. It was new and it was frightening him just a little. These feelings were so strong. For her he wanted to believe in fairytales. For her he didn't want it to always be so close and still so far. He wanted this to happen.

The song was ending, but he kept her in his arms a moment longer. She blushed and said

"Um...thank you for the dance. You know Sherlock I've always thought very fondly of you…but I understand that you're married to your work and that I shouldn't keep hoping for this," she stepped away from him and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear  
"Hoping for what?" Sherlock asked in a strained voice. He didn't like her not in his arms. He wanted to grab her and kiss her, but he was afraid she'd reject him.

"Hoping for us..." she whispered and then a look of fear came onto her face as she realized what she had said out loud.

"I-I'm sorry…I um I think I'll...I'm going to go," she turned and quickly walked to the door.

Sherlock thought for a split second before darting after her. He knows if he lets her go that it'll always be the same 'so close' scenarios and he was not a man who liked to wait for things. He was not used to not getting what he wanted and he wanted Molly. He wanted Molly to be his.

He caught her right as she got outside and he pulled her to him. His breathing was heavy because he had run to catch up to her. She squeaked in fear but it was quickly replaced with sigh of relief as she saw who it was

"S-Sherlock?" she asked quietly, a hand over her heart attempting to slow it down.

"I don't want this to be a 'we were so close' situation Molly Hooper. I want this to happen. I want **_us_** to happen because you've always counted and I've always trusted you."

He leaned down and softly touched his lips to hers. She froze for a moment but gave into him just as quickly. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his arms tightened his hold on her. Sherlock smiled against her lips and she pulled back to look at him. She was breathless and she was smiling. Her eyes showed him that she was extremely happy. He knew he'd finally done something right.

"Really?" she whispered her uncertainty and he simply kissed her again, this time deeper than before.

"Really," he replied in a husky voice. He felt her shudder and he smirked.

* * *

Inside watching from the window, John Watson handed his friend some money.

"Thanks Denis. I knew those acting skills would come in handy eventually."

"No problem John," Denis walked away a happy actor.

Mary came and joined him at the window.

"Finally," she said laughing lightly

"I know. He was so close to losing this opportunity forever. Bloody git," John smiled as he watched them for a few more seconds. But then he turned to his new wife.

"Well Mrs. Watson now that we're done playing matchmaker and Sherlock is growing up, what do you say to some alone time for the grownups?"

Mary laughed and nodded taking a moment to look back at Sherlock and Molly. They looked so happy.

"Finally," she whispered again with a smile.

* * *

**Inspiration song- So Close by Jon McLaughlin**

**Hope you liked it =)**


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